The present invention relates to an
extractive distillation column comprising, from bottom to top, a tray section, an adaptable section, and a packing section; the packing section comprises a gas-liquid contact
mass transfer element, which is referred to as the first packing; the adaptable section comprises a gas-liquid contact
mass transfer element, which is referred to as the second packing, or comprises a packing-tray
assembly, wherein the packing-tray
assembly is a combination of a gas-liquid contact
mass transfer element, which is referred to as the third packing, and a gas-liquid contact
mass transfer element, which is referred to as the first three-dimensional jet tray;The bottom section comprises a gas-liquid contact
mass transfer element, referred to as a second three-dimensional jet tray, wherein the
extractive distillation column further comprises an extraction
solvent inlet, a feedstock inlet, a gas-phase outlet at the column head, a liquid-phase outlet at the column bottom, and an optional lateral
piping inlet, and the packing section is located above the extraction
solvent inlet; the adjustable section is located between the extraction
solvent inlet and the feedstock inlet; the tray section is located below the feedstock inlet. The present invention also relates to an
extractive distillation system comprising the above-mentioned extractive
distillation column and to an extractive
distillation process utilizing the extractive
distillation system.